18 Nov Pittsburg Council Approves Members’ First Raise in 30 Years, Appoints New City Manager

Darin Gale will be Pittsburg’s next city manager, effective Dec. 15. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Pittsburg council members are getting their first raise after about 30 years of going without, jumping by over 200% to move them from some of the lowest-paid city officials to some of the highest in the county.

Council members approved the raise — from $500 monthly to $1,600 monthly — to account for inflation and is thanks to a state law allowing local jurisdictions to increase compensation based on population size. The law, Senate Bill 329, looks to increase diversity on councils.

The new figure would amount to a $19,200 annual payout per council member, totaling a $96,000 fiscal impact per year. That increase does not take into account the benefits council members receive.

“We all know that nobody runs for council for the salary,” said Mayor Jelani Killings. “What I do think [the increase] takes into note is the requirement, the demand that is placed on council members in serving this community.”

Killings said that council members, who he said also worked full-time, have to take time off from work to do responsibilities associated with the office.

City officials last received a raise in 1995 that had been based on the then-population of between 50,000 and 75,000. The population has since grown to more than 76,300, according to the California Department of Finance.

SB 329 allows a city of Pittsburg’s size to compensate council members up to $1,900, but the Finance Management Subcommittee recommended $1,600 because it was on the lower end of the population in that pay scale.

The increase makes council members some of the highest-paid in Central and East Contra Costa among general law cities, according to a staff analysis from interim City Manager Maria Aliotti. Only Antioch pays council members higher currently in East County.

Cities with comparable populations, Brentwood and Walnut Creek, pay members $1,150.59 and $650, respectively. Those cities, which have about 10,000 fewer residents than Pittsburg, would only be able to increase compensation to $1,600, Aliotti noted.

Not included in the analysis is San Ramon, also a general law city within Contra Costa, with about 20,000 more residents than Pittsburg. San Ramon council members make $1,085.94 per month as of July 8, according to that city’s salary schedule.

Unlike those in the cities of Antioch and Richmond, which approved an 80% pay raise this year, Pittsburg officials did not receive any public opposition to the increase.

If approved a second time, typically a formality, the increase would go into effect after the November 2026 election in December.

Pittsburg Names New City Manager

Two months after losing long-time city employee and six-year City Manager Garrett Evans to retirement, Pittsburg officials have found a new leader with an extensive background in economic development.

Council members unanimously appointed Darin Gale, the assistant city manager of Brentwood since 2022, to the position. Gale will take over for Aliotti, who has been in the position since Evans’ retirement.

“I love local government because you’re able to connect with the local community. What the employees of the city of Pittsburg do on a daily basis touches the lives of our residents,” Gale told the council following the appointment.

Gale will start Dec. 15 and make $312,256 per year as part of the agreement.

Before his time with Brentwood, which also included acting as interim city manager, Gale spent the bulk of his career with Yuba City in various positions that largely focused on development and economic development. Under Gale’s leadership, Yuba City was named one of the country’s best-performing small cities by the Milken Institute for job growth and tourism.

Council member Juan Antonio Banales said he was excited for Gale’s experience with economic development

Gale has a master’s degree in business administration from Drexler University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Sacramento State University. He is a graduate of the Harvard Senior Executives in State and Local Government program.

The appointment is aligned with the city’s focus on economic development, including becoming a destination for sports tourism in the region. Officials have also offered incentives to bring businesses to the city and the approval of a 115-room hotel to boost economic development.

What helped officials decide on Gale for the appointment, Killings said, was the feedback received from those who had interacted with him. Killings noted that Gale cooked breakfast for departments and employees.

“It was something that really rose to the top in terms of the type of character and person that you are,” said Killings.

Killings also thanked Aliotti for her work as the acting city manager, saying that the city had not “missed a beat” between Evans’ departure and now.

“We know that there’s work ahead of us … but we are confident in [Gale’s] abilities and coming in and being integrated into team Pittsburg and that this next chapter will be a great one,” said Killings.